Andiamo! Audiences can't go to Italy, so Pixar is bringing Italy to them with its new animated film Luca.
Directed by Enrico Casarosa, who was nominated for an Oscar for his Pixar short La Luna, Luca is an Italian bromance meets the Little Mermaid, complete with gelato, pasta and red Vespas.
Luca is due to be released straight to streaming service Disney+ on Friday, June 18.
What is Luca about?
Luca is about the coming-of-age of the titular character Luca, a boy sea monster who wants to explore the human village of Portorosso.
Set in the Italian Riviera in the 1950s, Luca and his best monster friend Alberto have an unforgettable summer with their new human friend Giulia.
But danger lurks everywhere for the pair in a town that hates sea monsters, including Giulia's fisherman father Massimo.
What is Luca based on?
Luca is inspired by director Enrico Casarosa's experience growing up in Genoa with his real-life best friend Alberto.
While the pair are not sea monsters in disguise, Casarosa has said Alberto helped get him out of his comfort zone.
"My best friend Alberto was a bit of a troublemaker, (while) I was very timid and had a bit of a sheltered life — we couldn’t have been more different," Casarosa told Disney News.
"I probably would not be here if I didn't learn to chase my dreams from him."
Is Portorosso a real place?
Luca is set in Portorosso, a fictional village that was inspired by the five towns that make up the coastal Cinque Terre region of Italy.
The string of fishing villages is well known for its colourful buildings that sit atop the cliffs along the crystal blue Ligurian Sea.
Portorosso is also reportedly a nod to Japanese animation company Studio Ghibli and its 1992 film film about an Italian pig pilot, Porco Rosso.
Who are the voices in Luca?
Jacob Tremblay, who has appeared in the movies Room and Wonder, is the voice of Luca Paguro.
His mother Daniela is voiced by comedic actress Maya Rudolph, and his father Lorenzo is voiced by stand-up comedian Jim Gaffigan.
Alberto is voiced by Shazam! actor Jack Dylan Grazer, and 12-year-old Emma Berman makes her movie debut as Giulia.
Is Luca OK for kids to watch?
Luca has not yet been rated by the Australian Classification Board but is rated PG on Disney+, meaning "some material may not be suitable for children".
Parents urged to give "parental guidance". May contain some material parents might not like for their young children.
But what about if you're an adult?
While Pixar movies are generally aimed at a younger audience, they are popular with all ages.
They are also notorious for making grown-ups cry with their touching moments — particularly the films Coco, Toy Story 3, Inside Out and the first 10 minutes of UP.
So while there's no classification for adults, viewers are urged to have tissues and emotional support on hand.
